Page 52 of Shadows in Bloom

I registered the heat of someone else’s body, at the same moment the voice spoke again, right into my ear.

“Run.”

The delicious scent of toffee apples hit my nose, and it took a moment for the words to register. But when they did, I smiled, and ran.

I had no plan. No sense of direction. I just kept running deeper into the maze, seeing my distorted reflection in the mirrors that lined the walls.

I stopped dead, spinning around, gasping for breath. Somehow, I was surrounded by mirrors on all sides. How was it possible? I spun around again, but my movements were halted by an arm wrapping around my waist.

Gasping, my gaze flew to the mirror in front of me. I saw a waterfall of blonde hair cascading over my shoulder as a head lowered, lips close to my ear, and at the same time, the scent of toffee apples surrounded me.

“Fuck,” I whispered. “Amélie?”

“Little bird. Wren.”

“Hi.” My voice came out as a whisper, and Amélie laughed softly.

“I didn’t think I’d catch you so easily.”

What was happening? She was holding me against her, soft curves pressed against my back. We’d never been this close outside of our trapeze performances. Okay, occasionally we’d hug, or lean against each other…nothing different to the things we’d do with other cirque members.

My heart beat faster.

Did she know how I felt about her? She couldn’t, surely. I’d kept it hidden, along with my other secret that I kept close to my heart. Secrets that should never be spoken aloud.

“Um.” I swallowed, trying to get my brain to work. “Chase me…if you want to.”

Then I tore myself away from her, running headlong into the darkness.

She laughed, clear and bright, and followed me.

“I’m going to catch you, Wren.”

My self-preservation instinct kicked in, and I ran.

I lost myself in the darkness.

For a moment, the adrenaline carried me forwards, a smile on my face, but then I hit the true darkness. The blackness with no shadows, no light to break up the dark, walls surrounding me, bearing down on me.

I froze in place. There was no sound, and it was so, so dark. Too dark.

Flash.

My panicked breaths loud in my ears.

Flash.

Diving under my bed, moving from memory alone in the pitch-black room, the windows covered by blackout blinds.

Flash.

My hand clamped over my nose and mouth, willing myself to stop breathing for a moment. If I was silent, maybe he wouldn’t find me.

Flash.

A sliver of light from the doorway cutting through the shadows.

Flash.

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